LG Energy Solution, South Korea’s foremost battery manufacturer, has announced a strategic agreement with Toyota Tsusho Corporation, a trading affiliate of Japan’s Toyota Group, to establish a battery recycling joint venture in the United States.
The new entity, named Green Metals Battery Innovations LLC, will be based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The facility will focus on the pre-processing of battery production scrap, dismantling and shredding material to extract black mass—a substance rich in valuable metals including nickel, cobalt, and lithium.
Scrap generated during the production of electric vehicle batteries for Toyota Motor Corporation will be supplied by LG Energy Solution. The extracted black mass will subsequently undergo a separate post-processing phase to recover raw materials. These recovered inputs will then be recycled into the production of new battery materials.
Construction of the facility is slated to begin later this year, with operations scheduled to commence in 2026. Once operational, the plant will possess an annual processing capacity of 13,500 tonnes of scrap—equivalent to more than 40,000 automotive batteries.
LG Energy Solution underscored the strategic significance of the partnership with Toyota Tsusho, citing the latter’s advanced pre-processing technology and proven operational capability. The collaboration is expected to play a pivotal role in reinforcing the company’s battery recycling infrastructure across North America.
“This joint venture will not only help secure a stable supply of key battery materials but also enhance the competitiveness of our recycling business in North America,” stated Kang Chang-beom, Chief Strategy Officer at LG Energy Solution.
-Yonhap
